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BEFORE THE RUIN is the result of three of Scotland’s best current writers and performers getting together with limited time and resources (seven afternoons and then demoed on a laptop). Regardless of whether folk is all the rage at the moment or not, BEFORE THE RUIN is perfect for those who admire the well-written song. Roddy Woomble (best known as the lead singerof top indie-rock band Idlewild) offers a very satisfying follow-up to his solo outing, My Secret Is My Silence. Woomble’s vocal and guitar interplay with Kris Drever’s is at once familiar and surprising. Fiddle superstarJohn McCusker (currently heard on Paul Weller’s 22 Dreams and who has recently returned from touring with Mark Knopfler) underpins this with his mournful, soulfulplaying. “Silver and Gold” is indicative of what lies within: swelling fiddle, a memorable chorus and strong commercial sensibility. The title track swaggers and sways. With guest appearances from Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake, BEFORE THE RUIN is an important work, crammed with deft, sweet touches.